Postdoctoral Position in Biology

Syracuse University

Syracuse University

Job #: 078721
Location: Syracuse, NY
Campus: Syracuse, NY
Job Type: Full-time
Rank: Post Doc
FLSA Status: Exempt
Pay Range: $63,000 – $70,000

Commitment to On-Campus Experience

Syracuse University is committed to delivering an exceptional student experience through vibrant, engaged campus communities. This position is based at the above campus location and requires regular in-person presence to support our students, collaborate with colleagues, and contribute to our thriving academic environment. Syracuse University values the collaboration, mentorship, and spontaneous connections that happen when our community works together on campus. Remote work arrangements are limited in accordance with University policy.

Pay Determination

Salary offers at Syracuse University will be based on education, experience, and relevant skills, as well as the academic or professional discipline of the position in the context of the home department, school, or college. Salary offers may also be influenced by prior relevant work or industry experience, where applicable. Faculty pay ranges are for 8.5 months’ salary unless otherwise specified.

Job Description

The Oliverio Lab at Syracuse University is seeking a creative postdoctoral researcher to lead research on experimental evolution and strain diversity in synthetic microbiomes. The lab sits at the interface of microbial ecology, evolutionary biology, and systems biology, using an integrated toolkit including metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metabolomics, enrichment culturing, and synthetic community experiments to understand how microbial communities assemble, adapt, and function.

The lab uses sourdough starter microbiomes as tractable models for studying microbial evolution and intra-species diversity. The postdoc will design and execute ecological and evolution experiments in defined microbial consortia, characterize strain-level genomic and functional variation across community members, and connect evolutionary change and strain diversity to emergent community phenotypes. There is also opportunity to integrate computational experiments, for example genome-scale metabolic modeling. This work is supported by an NIH R35 MIRA award.

This postdoctoral position is fully funded for up to three years with an initial 12-month appointment subject to renewal. Specific research goals will be developed in collaboration with the principal investigator, with extensive opportunity for scientific independence and to pursue research aligned with the postdoc’s interests and expertise.

Qualifications

  • Ph.D. in Microbiology, Evolutionary Biology, or a related field, conferred by the time of appointment
  • Track record of research demonstrated through publications and/or other significant research accomplishments

Job-Specific Qualifications

  • Experience designing or executing experimental evolution or microbiome experiments
  • Proficiency in bioinformatics approaches for multi-omics data
  • Familiarity with genome-scale metabolic modeling or related computational approaches
  • Familiarity with microbial culturing and microbiome experiments
  • Strong quantitative skillset and ability to work across wet lab and computational approaches
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Organized, detail-oriented, and collaborative
  • Enthusiasm for developing new research directions

Responsibilities

  • Design research projects, execute experiments, and analyze data related to microbial ecology, evolution, and systems biology
  • Write manuscripts, conference abstracts, and fellowship proposals
  • Mentor graduate and undergraduate students
  • Attend conferences, workshops, and professional development opportunities

Application Instructions

Applicants must complete the online application and attach:

  • Curriculum vitae
  • Cover letter
  • Contact information for three references

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics and a global footprint. Founded in 1870, it offers more than 200 majors, 100 minors, and 200 advanced degree programs across 13 schools and colleges, serving over 15,000 undergraduates and 6,000 graduate students, with over 250,000 alumni in 160 countries.

More information: http://www.syracuse.edu

About the Syracuse Area

Syracuse is a medium-sized city in central New York State, approximately 250 miles northwest of New York City. The metro area population is about 500,000 and offers a low cost of living along with cultural, recreational, and outdoor activities including parks, museums, festivals, hiking in the Adirondacks, skiing, wineries, and Erie Canal trails.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Syracuse University is an equal-opportunity institution and prohibits discrimination and harassment based on protected characteristics under applicable law. This policy applies to admissions, employment, and all university programs and activities.

Commitment to Veterans

Syracuse University has a long-standing commitment to supporting veterans and military-connected individuals and aims to be an employer of choice for these communities.

Commitment to a Respectful and Welcoming Community

Syracuse University promotes an inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives and encourages respectful dialogue and mutual understanding.

Application Link

https://www.sujobopps.com/postings/112709

Job Posting Date

04/06/2026

Applicant Documents

Required

  • Resume/CV
  • Cover Letter
  • Reference List

Optional

  • Other Document

Supplemental Question

How did you first find out about this position?
(Options listed in original posting)

Apply